My ears ring and my vision goes in and out as the migraine sets in. My arms and legs are flailing and someone is holding me cursing. My sister is crying and begging for someone to stop. Ducky is yelling so loud it practically rattled my bones and Nova is cursing at someone viciously, while Nails shouts he's going to kill him.

My eyes fly open and what is before me is a sight that will haunt me forever. Adonis is laying on the ground beaten and bloodied with his dad laughing and taunting him.

"You know the deal kid. If you don't stand back up, I kill her right in front of you."

I watch as the only person I've ever given every piece of me too, the man I grew so desperate for, struggles to get back up on his feet. It's awful to watch Adonis a man so powerful and strong, barely being able to stand.

"Thank God, she stopped."

"Alright boys, who's next? You want to become a full-fledged member or stay in the club you beat him back down to my feet.

I whip my head around and the truth to Adonis's words about some of the members and possible recruits finally makes sense to me. Some are just kids. Scared and horrified kids that are torn and don't know what to do.

My breath comes out harsh and unsteady as Adonis looks over at me and the smile he gives me is the kind that rips your soul right out of you. It's laced with sorrow and defeat like he's asking for my forgiveness for failing me.

But I failed him.

Red Light of all people steps up. I go ballistic which earns a massive smile from him and his full attention. "Don't you worry, Tater Tot once you're in my bed you won't even remember his name."

He swiftly turns around and his fist lands right on Adonis's scar and he goes down. My world goes into slow motion as I see Dallas kick him hard in the ribs and starts beating him relentlessly.

I scream.

I scream until my rage claws at my throat with vengeful scorn and makes me taste blood. I cock my elbow back hard and a nose crumbles against it.

"What the hell." The guy holding me shouts in pain.

His hold on me loosens and I rip out of his arms sprinting toward Adonis ready to kill Red Light. Someone grips my arm and yanks me hard into them.

Adonis's dad roughly grabs my chin, swaying my head back and forth gloating as he does it. "Such a pretty little thing. We'll all have our fill of you and then drop you right at your daddy's door along with your sister. Maybe we'll start it right now before he dies."

Every emotion I've been feeling starts shedding off like that wallpaper I stripped weeks ago to reveal the hidden bare bones underneath. All that's left in me is hatred. Pure. Primal. Hatred. It takes over me, all of my senses and being.

I see nothing. I feel nothing, but this raw bitter emotion.

My cast clunks against something hard and that ringing comes back in my ears. The sound of flesh beating flesh echoes in my brain and I lose myself to the rage as all that's left of me falls down along with my memories of Adonis, Dad, Mom, and Amber.

I disappear.

The gunshot cracks in the air sounding eerily similar to fireworks and it's so loud and vicious everyone stops. Silence follows and I stumble back catching on a choked breath. Blood drips down my ears, warm and wet.

Amber's scream is muffled and distorted. It's Adonis's howl of misery that brings sound back into my world. Its long and filled with deep pain as if his bones are being eaten alive by cancer.

"Did he really just kill her?"a guy asks.

Blood covers my hands as I look down at the gun I'm awkwardly holding. Its heavy and I take a big swallow as I look up and Adonis's dad is holding his side where the bullet pierced through his flesh. The horror of what I've done smashes into me.

I may have killed a man and I don't even know how to shoot a gun except to pull the trigger.

I drop it.

My mind swirls as does the room and I fall to my knees gasping as Adonis's dad lunges for me on unsteady feet. He grips me by the hair.

"You little—"

A body slams hard into him making him let go of me. It's my dad with Archie coming right behind him. Both of them pin him down. In a burst of chaos, a hoard Salvation members I've never even seen storm in.

"More Salvation, retreat!" a big bald Silencer yells.

My eyes immediately go to Adonis and I get up trying to make my way over to him in the chaos. Bones gets to him first and hauls him up cursing.

An arm snakes around my waist and I start fighting them with everything I have. "You're coming with me."

Red Light roughly starts pulling me away.

I don't care if he kills me. I don't care what he does to me. All I need to know right now is that Adonis is okay.

"Adonis! Adonis!" I screech.

I'm whipped away into a hallway filled with pipes and we go around the corner until we reach stairs. There's a door all the way at the bottom of it and it bursts open with more Salvation members coming through it.

"Son of..." Red Light hisses.

Using his distraction, I put my foot on the rail and use all my strength into pushing over. He loses his balance and starts to fall down the stairs while I break away. Running back up the steps I'm about to make it back to where Adonis and everyone are but Red Light easily catches up to me.

He yanks me hard into another hallway with me kicking and screaming for help. He clamps his hand over my mouth and continues maneuvering around hallways. One after another. We get to another and it's like we're going through a maze.

This one's quiet and he backs up slowly. The sound of his heavy boots being the only thing I can hear.

"You better let her go, right now."

Heat surges through me as well as a new source of energy at the sound of Adonis's voice. Red Light swiftly turns around to Adonis breathing hard and every muscle in his body tense and ready to strike.

"How the hell are you still able to move?"

Adonis straightens to his full height taking deep husky breaths. "Because of her."

Hands grab my arm and I'm ripped from Red light and into Ducky's hold.

I'm getting really tired of being treated like a rag doll.

Adonis moves and I go to object, but Ducky stops me saying, "He's fine, little duckling."

Adonis, despite his beatings and torture is swift and too powerful for Red Light. He blocks a blow from Red Light with ease and advances. Red Light stumbles and falls to the ground crawling backwards like a crab. Adonis plucks him off the ground by his collar.

"I told you you'll get yours."

Adonis puts everything he has into this one swift blow. Red Light's head cocks back and his body goes limp. Adonis isn't done though and puts his boot on Red Lights wrist and breaks it in one swift motion.

I shudder at the sound.

Ducky lets me go and all the fight in me drains as Adonis staggers making me run to him. He picks me up and collapses his face into my chest as I wrap my arms around him. I cling to him hard, shaking all over.

"I thought he killed you," he sobs out, gripping me so hard it hurts but I don't care.

He's alive and holding me.

As much as I want to keep close to him and never let go. He needs help. "Come on."

He doesn't move and keeps my body pinned to his. I look to Ducky for help but his eyes are filled with an understanding. "Arch, your dad and Bones have it handled. Give him this, Georgie. We all thought you died. He needs you right now."

Ducky hauls Red Light over his shoulder like he weighs much, much less than the 200 pound monster he is and walks away.

I come undone in Adonis's hold. "Don't lie to me," I cry. "Are you going to be okay?"

He doesn't answer

"I love you," I cry in a whimper into his heavy slick locks.

He instantly pins me between him and the wall kissing me hard and desperately. It's like he's taking all my oxygen as he opens my mouth and tastes me, pushing his hardness into every soft curve of mine until breathing becomes difficult. I don't care, I'll take the pain if he will always kiss me like this.

My fingers slide down his sweaty skin and glide along his tense figure. His naked skin feels so good against my fingers. I meet his desperation with gentleness as my fingers slide delicately into his sweaty thick locks. He groans, lifting my legs up and wraps them around his waist, sending shivers all down my spine. His lips leave mine and he slides his mouth down my neck leaving a trail of burning kisses."Say it again." He growls breathing heavily as he does.

"I love you." I sigh out in a heated whisper.

"Again," he whispers in my ear as his teeth tug on my lobe.

I say it again.

"Don't stop," He demands as he stretches my neck out and sucks on the vein by my throat.

I don't.

He answers each and every one of my confessions with desperate heart wrenching kisses. Its pure torture but absolute perfection and I whisper out pleadingly, "Will you be okay?"

"Yes," he retorts. "The only thing that will help is when every single beautiful, weird, and quirky bit of you belongs to me." He rumbles out as he kisses my eyes, nose, and lips.

Every part of me already is...

My eyes shoot open when I realize what he meant.

A slow relentless burn takes over my whole body and I'm suffocating in it. He pulls away and despite the swollen bruises and dry blood he's still effortlessly handsome, especially with the wicked smile gracing his lips. "That's right, Tater Tot. I want to marry you."

I cover my face to shield him from my embarrassment and his hands gently pull them down. "Don't, I love it when you turn that color."

I can't breathe.

"You want to marry me?" I whisper.

His delighted smile only widens. "It's natural and I'm going to love you the way you deserve. Every beautiful, weird, quirky speck."

My chest swells and something cool and thick slides onto my finger and I bring it up to see a piece of metal around it.

"I love you."